e alleged criminal transactions in Kentucky, have been
addressed you by certain of my subordinates, and I have been
profoundly ignorant of their existence, until after their receipt,
and the intended impression had been produced. I have but little
acquaintance with the forms and regulations of your office, and I
would respectfully ask if communications so furnished are not
altogether irregular and prejudicial to good order and proper
discipline? If these parties believe my conduct culpable, is it not
their plain duty to prefer charges against me and bring me before a
court martial? And if failing to adopt measures suggested alike by
law, justice and propriety, they pursue a course which tends to
weaken my authority, impair my reputation and embarrass my conduct,
have I not the right to expect that their action shall be condemned
and themselves reprimanded? Indeed, sir, discipline and
subordination have been impaired to such an extent in my command by
proceedings, such as I have described, that an officer of high rank
quitted a responsible post, without leave and in direct disobedience
to my orders, and repaired to Richmond to urge in person his
application for assignment to duty more consonant with his
inclinations. It is, with all due respect, that I express my regret
that his application was successful.

Permit me again, sir, to urge earnestly, that the investigation,
which can alone remove the difficulties which I now experience,
shall be immediately ordered.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN H. MORGAN.
To HON. JAMES A. SEDDON, _Secretary of War_.

On the 28th or 29th of August, General Morgan left Abingdon, and taking
command of the troops at Jonesboro' on the 31st, immediately prepared to
move against the enemy. Our forces had again been driven away from their
positions at Bull's Gap and Rogersville, and had fallen back to
Jonesboro'. After two or three days delay for refitment, etc., General
Morgan marched from Jonesboro' with the intention of attacking the enemy
at Bull's Gap. If he could drive them from that position, by a sudden
and rapidly executed movement, he would, in all probability, cut off
that force at Rogersville and either force it to surrender or compel it
to retreat into Kentucky. In the latter